Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RECORDING TRANSACTION AND PRODUCT
CUSTOMIZATION INFORMATION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to customized products and more
particularly to the
ordering and/or management of customized products and related information.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Traditionally, consumers have purchased products at in-store retail
locations. The
advent of online shopping, however, has greatly influenced consumer spending
and enabled
consumers to purchase products without physically going to in-store retail
locations.
Furthermore, many retailers now have both in-store retail locations as well as
online websites in
which consumers can purchase products. Managing and tracking consumers'
purchases at both
in-store retail locations and online would be advantageous. While some
management and
tracking of consumer purchases is available, there is also a need for more
efficient systems and
methods and for systems and methods to manage and track certain types of
purchases.
SUMMARY
[0003] One exemplary embodiment involves a method comprising: receiving a
customized
paint color from a paint customization station in a retail location;
determining a unique product
identifier corresponding to the customized paint color; receiving, by a point-
of-sale device in the
retail location, the unique product identifier, the point-of-sale device being
different than the
paint customization station; receiving, by the point-of-sale device in the
retail location, an
account identifier corresponding to an online account of a consumer purchasing
the customized
paint color; and associating the customized paint color with the online
account.
[0004] In some embodiments, receiving, by a point-of-sale device in the
retail location, the
unique product identifier comprises: receiving, by a point-of-sale device in
the retail location, a
UPC code associated with the customized paint color, wherein the customized
paint color
comprises a pre-customized paint color. In some embodiments, determining a
unique product
identifier corresponding to the customized paint color comprises: the paint
customization station
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in the retail location querying a data store to determine that a unique
product identifier
corresponding to the customized paint color does not exist in the data store;
generating the
unique product identifier; storing the unique product identifier in the data
store; and associating
the unique product identifier with information corresponding to the customized
paint color. In
some embodiments, determining a unique product identifier corresponding to the
customized
paint color comprises: the paint customization station in the retail location
querying a data store
to determine that a unique product identifier associated with the customized
paint color exists in
the data store.
[0005] In some embodiments, a method further comprises: receiving, by a
server, a request
to associate the customized paint color associated with the online account
with a wall of a room,
the wall of the room associated with the online account; and associating, by
the server, the wall
of the room with the customized paint color. In some embodiments, a method
further comprises:
receiving, by a server, a request to transfer the customized paint color to a
second online account;
and associating, by the server, the customized paint color with the second
online account. In
some embodiments, a method further comprises: removing an association between
the
customized paint color and the online account. In some embodiments,
associating, by the server,
the customized paint color with the second online account comprises:
determining first
information associated with the customized paint color, wherein the first
information comprises a
purchase price for the customized paint color; selecting a portion of the
first information to
associate with the second online account, the portion of the first information
not including the
purchase price for the customized paint color; and associating the portion of
the first information
with the second online account.
[0006] Another exemplary embodiment involves a method comprising: receiving
an order
from a first electronic device in a retail location, the order comprising a
customized product;
determining a unique product identifier corresponding to the customized
product; receiving, by a
second electronic device in the retail location, the unique product
identifier, the second electronic
device being different than the first electronic device; receiving, by the
second electronic device
in the retail location, an account identifier corresponding to an online
account of a consumer
purchasing the customized product; and associating the customized product with
the online
account.
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[0007] In some embodiments, the customized product comprises at least one
of a paint color,
a window shade, a blind, a chain, a wire, a lumber board, and a fence. In some
embodiments the
second electronic device comprises a point-of-sale system. In some
embodiments, the first
electronic device is configured to enable product customization.
[0008] Another exemplary embodiment involves a method comprising: receiving
a unique
product identifier, the unique product identifier corresponding to a
customized product; receiving
an account identifier, the account identifier corresponding to an online
account of a consumer
purchasing the customized product; determining an object associated with the
online account, the
object representing a portion of a building; and associating the object with
the customized
product.
[0009] In some embodiments, a method further comprises: generating the
unique product
identifier; and associating the unique product identifier with information
corresponding to the
customized product, wherein the information corresponding to the customized
product comprises
a base product and customization information for the base product. In some
embodiments, the
customized product comprises at least one of a customized paint color, a
customized blind, a
customized chain, a customized lumber board, a customized wire, and a
customized shade. In
some embodiments, a method further comprises: generating a transaction
identification, the
transaction identification associated with an order for the customized
product; associating the
transaction identification with the customized product; associating the
transaction identification
with information corresponding to the order for the customized product, the
information
comprising a price for the customized product; and associating the transaction
identification with
the online account.
[0010] In some embodiments, a method further comprises: receiving a request
to transfer a
portion of the information corresponding to the order for the customized
product to a second
online account; determining the portion of the information corresponding to
the order for the
customized product to transfer to the second online account, the portion of
the information
including some, but not all, of the information corresponding to the order for
the customized
product; and associating the portion of the information corresponding to the
order for the
customized product with the second online account. In some embodiments, a
method further
comprises: receiving a request to transfer the object to a second online
account; and in response
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to receiving the request, associating the object and the customized product
with the second
online account.
[0011] In some embodiments, a method further comprises receiving, at a
point-of-sale
system in a retail location, the unique product identifier and the account
identifier. In some
embodiments, determining an object associated with the online account
comprises: receiving a
request, by a web server, from a client device, the request comprising an
object identification and
the unique product identifier, the object identification associated with the
online account; and
wherein associating the object with the customized product comprises: creating
an association, in
a data store, between the object identification and the unique product
identifier. In some
embodiments, the object representing the portion of the building comprises a
room. In some
embodiments, the object representing the portion of the building comprises a
wall. In some
embodiments, the unique product identifier comprises at least one of a UPC
code and a QR code.
In some embodiments, the account identifier comprises at least one of a
username, a password,
and a unique key.
[0012] An exemplary system comprises: a product customization station, the
product
customization station comprising: a first input device; a first output device;
a first computer
readable medium; and a first processor in communication with the first input
device, the first
output device, and the first computer readable medium, the first processor
configured for:
receiving an order for a customized product; and determining a unique product
identifier
associated with the customized product. The exemplary system further comprises
a point-of-sale
device, the point-of-sale-device comprising: a second input device; a second
output device; a
second computer readable medium; and a second processor in communication with
the second
input device, the second output device, and the second computer readable
medium, the second
processor configured for: receiving the unique product identifier associated
with the customized
product; receiving an account identifier corresponding to an online account;
and associating the
customized product with the online account. The exemplary system further
comprises: a web
server, the web server comprising: a third input device; a third output
device; a third computer
readable medium; and a third processor in communication with the third input
device, the third
output device, and the third computer readable medium, the third processor
configured for:
receiving the account identifier corresponding to the online account;
receiving a request to
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associate the customized product with an object, the object associated with
the online account;
and in response to receiving the request, associating the object with the
customized product.
[0013] An exemplary computer readable medium comprising program code,
comprises:
program code for receiving a unique product identifier, the unique product
identifier
corresponding to a customized product; program code for receiving an account
identifier, the
account identifier corresponding to an online account of a consumer purchasing
the customized
product; program code for determining an object associated with the online
account, the object
representing a portion of a building; and program code for associating the
object with the
customized product.
[0014] These illustrative features are mentioned not to limit or define the
disclosure, but to
provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Additional embodiments are
discussed in the
Detailed Description, and further description is provided there. Advantages
offered by one or
more of the embodiments may be further understood by examining this
specification or by
practicing one or more embodiments presented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present
disclosure are better
understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to
the accompanying
drawings, where:
Figure 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of selling a customized product
to a
consumer at a retail location and associating the customized product with an
online account
corresponding to the consumer;
Figure 2 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary electronic device according
to an
embodiment;
Figure 3 is a system diagram depicting exemplary computing devices in an
exemplary
computing environment according to an embodiment;
Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method of assigning a unique product
identifier to a
customized product;
Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of assigning one or more
customized
products to an object associated with an online account; and
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Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of copying and/or moving
information
associated with a first online account to a second online account.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Systems and methods disclosed herein relate generally to the
management of
customized products. For example, Figure 1 illustrates a method 100 of selling
a customized
product to a consumer at a retail location and associating the customized
product with an online
account corresponding to the consumer. Such a method 100 may be performed by
one or more
electronic devices, such as a tablet computer, mobile phone, notebook
computer, desktop
computer, point-of-sale system, or other computing device(s) comprising an
input device such as
a mouse, trackpad, keyboard, touch-screen, barcode scanner, or other input
device, as described
herein. For example, in some embodiments, method 100 may be performed by one
or more
electronic devices, such as electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2, and/or
one or more devices
shown in system 300 of Figure 3.
[0017] The method 100 shown in Figure 1 begins when a consumer orders a
customized
product at a first location within a retail store 110. For example, a consumer
may order a
particular custom color of paint at a paint department of a home improvement
store (e.g., at the
paint mixing or customization station of the store). Once the consumer orders
the customized
product at the first location in the retail store 110, the method proceeds to
block 120. In block
120, a unique product identifier corresponding to the customized product is
determined. For
example, a unique product identifier ¨ such as a unique barcode ¨
corresponding to the custom
paint color (e.g., indicative of paint color formula) may be created by a
first electronic device in
the paint department of the home improvement store. As another example, a
unique product
identifier corresponding to the custom paint color may be determined by
querying a data store
with information corresponding to the custom product and receiving a unique
product identifier
from the data store. The unique product identifier may be physically affixed
to the customized
product and/or its container, label, tag or packaging. For example, in one
embodiment, a unique
barcode is printed and physically affixed to a paint can containing the
customized paint color.
[0018] Once the unique product identifier corresponding to the customized
product has been
determined 120, the method 100 proceeds to block 130. In block 130, the unique
product
identifier corresponding to the customized product is received at a second
location in the retail
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store. For example, the consumer may take the paint can with the affixed
unique barcode to a
checkout location in the home improvement store. The checkout location may be
a physically
distinct location from where the customized product was ordered and/or
customized. In this
embodiment, a second electronic device receives the unique product identifier.
For example, the
unique barcode on the paint may be scanned by a cashier at a point-of-sale
system in the retail
store. As another example, a UPC code or other identifier associated with
information usable to
identify a customized product ¨ such as a UPC code or other identifier
corresponding to a
manufacturer, quantity, price, other identification information, or a
combination thereof¨ may be
scanned, manually entered, or otherwise obtained by a cashier at a point-of-
sale system. The
point-of-sale system may be a different electronic device than the first
electronic device that
created the unique product identifier.
[0019] Once the unique product identifier corresponding to the customized
product is
received at the second location in the retail store 130, the method 100
proceeds to block 140. In
block 140, a consumer account identifier is received at the second location in
the retail store.
The consumer account identifier may be associated with an online account of
the consumer
purchasing the customized product. For example, a consumer may have a key FOB
containing
information usable to identify an online account associated with the consumer.
In this
embodiment, information from the key FOB is transferred from the key FOB to an
electronic
device at the second location in the retail store. For example, as the
consumer checks out and
purchases the customized paint, a cashier at the point-of sale system in the
retail store may scan
the customer's key FOB such that the point-of-sale system receives information
from the key
FOB usable to identify an online account corresponding to the consumer. As
another example, a
customer may provide information such as a name, address, and/or telephone
number that may
be usable to identify a customer account.
[0020] Once the account identifier is received at the second location in
the retail store 140,
the method 100 proceeds to block 150. In block 150, the customized product is
associated with
the online account of the consumer. For example, if the consumer purchases a
customized paint
color, then the unique product identifier associated with the customized paint
color may be
associated with the online account associated with the consumer account
identifier.
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[0021] Once the customized product is associated with the online account
according to block
150, the method 100 proceeds to block 160. In block 160, the customized
product can be
associated with an object associated with the online account. For example, a
consumer may be
able to access the online account through a website associated with the
retailer from which the
customized product was purchased. In this embodiment, once the consumer uses
an electronic
device ¨ such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or a
web-enabled mobile
device ¨ to navigate to the retailer's website and enters information to
identify the online account
associated with the consumer (e.g., a username and password), the consumer may
be allowed to
create and/or modify objects associated with the online account. For example,
the consumer can
create or modify a room, floor plan, building, and/or other object(s)
associated with the online
account. The consumer can further associate the purchased, customized product
that is already
associated with the online account with one or more object(s) that are also
associated with the
online account. For example, if the consumer's online account contains a first
room, then the
consumer can associate the customized paint color purchased in the retail
location with the first
room in the online account. In this way, the consumer can associate products
purchased from a
retail location with one or more objects in the consumer's online account.
[0022] These illustrative examples are given to introduce the reader to the
general subject
matter discussed herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the
disclosed concepts. The
following sections describe various additional embodiments and examples with
reference to the
drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements. Other embodiments will
readily suggest
themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. In
the interest of clarity,
not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are
shown and described.
It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual
implementation,
numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve
the developer's
specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related
constraints, and that
these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one
developer to
another.
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Illustrative Electronic Device
[0023] Figure 2 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary electronic device
according to an
embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, electronic device 200 is a point-
of-sale system.
In other embodiments, electronic device 200 can be a mobile phone, a personal
digital assistant
(PDA), a laptop, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a product
customization station, a
unique product identifier creator, or another suitable computing device. An
electronic device
may include additional or fewer components than the electronic device 200
shown in Figure 2.
For example, in an embodiment, an electronic device comprises the memory 230,
the processor
220, the network interface 240, and the display 250. In this embodiment, the
electronic device
200 may be in communication with one or more user interface devices 210. As
another example,
in one embodiment, the electronic device 200 does not comprise a network
interface 240.
Numerous configurations having fewer or additional components for the
electronic device 200
are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the electronic device 200 comprises a computer-
readable
medium 210, such as a random access memory (RAM), coupled to a processor 220
that executes
computer-executable program instructions and/or accesses information stored in
memory 230. A
computer-readable medium may comprise, but is not limited to, an electronic,
optical, magnetic,
or other storage device capable of providing a processor with computer-
readable instructions.
Other examples comprise, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD,
magnetic disk,
memory chip, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CAM, DDR, flash memory such as NAND flash
or
NOR flash, an ASIC, a configured processor, optical storage, magnetic tape or
other magnetic
storage, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read
instructions. In one
embodiment, the electronic device 200 may comprise a single type of computer-
readable
medium such as random access memory (RAM). In other embodiments, the
electronic device
200 may comprise two or more types of computer-readable medium such as random
access
memory (RAM), a disk drive, and cache. The electronic device 200 may be in
communication
with one or more external computer-readable mediums such as an external hard
disk drive or an
external DVD drive.
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[0025] The embodiment shown in Figure 2, comprises a processor 220 which
executes
computer-executable program instructions and/or accesses information stored in
memory 230.
The instructions may comprise processor-specific instructions generated by a
compiler and/or an
interpreter from code written in any suitable computer-programming language
including, for
example, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Java, Python, Per!, JavaScript, and
ActionScript . In an
embodiment, the electronic device 200 comprises a single processor 220. In
other embodiments,
the electronic device 200 comprises two or more processors.
[0026] The electronic device 200 as shown in Figure 2 comprises a network
interface 240 for
communicating via wired or wireless communication. For example, the network
interface 240
may allow for communication over networks via Ethernet, IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi),
802.16 (Wi-
Max), Bluetooth, infrared, etc. As another example, network interface 240 may
allow for
communication over networks such as CDMA, GSM, UMTS, or other cellular
communication
networks. The electronic device 200 may comprise two or more network
interfaces 240 for
communication over one or more networks.
[0027] The electronic device 200 may comprise or be in communication with a
number of
external or internal devices such as a mouse, a trackpad, CD-ROM, a DVD, a
keyboard, a
display, a barcode scanner, an FOB reader, an RFID reader, audio speakers, one
or more
microphones, or any other input or output devices. For example, the electronic
device 200
shown in Figure 2 comprises a display 250 and is in communication with various
user interface
(UI) devices 210. Display 250 may use any suitable technology including, but
not limited to,
LCD, LED, CRT, and the like. In one embodiment, the display 250 is a touch-
sensitive display.
In other embodiments, the display 250 is not touch-sensitive.
[0028] Electronic device 200 may be a point-of-sale system, a tablet
computer, a personal
computing device, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, a desktop
computer, a laptop
computer, a product customization station, a unique product identifier creator
or any other
electronic device suitable for providing one or more of the features described
herein.
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Illustrative System
[0029] Figure 3 illustrates a system diagram depicting exemplary computing
devices in an
exemplary computing environment according to an embodiment. The system 300
shown in
Figure 3 includes three electronic client devices, 370-390, a web server 340,
a point-of-sale
system 330, and a product customization station 320. Each of the electronic
client devices, 370-
390, and the web server 340 are connected to a network 310. In this
embodiment, each of the
electronic client devices, 370-390, is in communication with the web server
340 through the
network 310. Thus, each of the electronic client devices, 370-390, can send
requests to the web
server 340 and receive responses from the web server 340 through the network
310.
[0030] A network can facilitate communications between any number of
devices. In the
embodiment shown in Figure 3, the network 310 facilitates communications
between the
electronic client devices 370-390 and the web server 340. In other
embodiments, the network
310 may facilitate communications between other devices such as the product
customization
station 320, the point-of-sale-system 330, customized products data store 350,
account
information data store 360, and/or other devices. The network 310 may be any
suitable number
or type of networks or links, including, but not limited to, a dial-in
network, a local area network
(LAN), wide area network (WAN), public switched telephone network (PSTN), the
Internet, an
intranet or any combination of hard-wired and/or wireless communication links.
In one
embodiment, the network 310 may be a single network. In other embodiments, the
network 310
may comprise two or more networks. For example, the electronic client devices
370-390 may be
connected to a first network and the web server 340 may be connected to a
second network. The
first and the second network may be connected or otherwise in communication
with each other.
As another example, the product customization station 320 and point-of-sale
system 330 may be
in communication with a first network and the web server 340 and electronic
client devices, 370-
390, may be in communication with a second network. In another embodiment,
product
customization station 320 is in communication with a first network, point-of-
sale system 330 is
in communication with a second network, and web server 340 and electronic
client devices, 370-
390, are in communication with a third network. Numerous other network
configurations are
disclosed herein and others are within the scope of this disclosure.
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[0031] One or more devices may be capable of communicating with one or more
networks,
such as network 310 and/or other networks, and be capable of sending and
receiving information
to and from another device, such as web server 340. For example, in Figure 3,
one device may
be a tablet computer 390. The tablet computer 390 may include a touch-
sensitive display and be
able to communicate with the network 310 by using a wireless network interface
card. The
tablet computer 390 may or may not be in communication with network 310
according to various
embodiments. Another device shown in Figure 3 is a desktop computer 380. The
desktop
computer 380 may be in communication with a display and be able to connect to
the network
310 through a wired network connection. The desktop computer 380 may be in
communication
with any number of input devices such as a keyboard or a mouse. In Figure 3, a
mobile phone
370 may be a device. The mobile phone 370 may be able to communicate with the
network 310
over a wireless communications means such as TDMA, CDMA, GSM, or WiFi.
Numerous
other embodiments are disclosed herein and others are within the scope of this
disclosure.
[0032] A device receiving a request from another device may be any device
capable of
communicating with a network, such as network 310, and capable of sending and
receiving
information to and from another device. For example, in the embodiment shown
in Figure 3, the
web server 340 may be a device receiving a request from another device (e.g.,
electronic client
devices 370-390) and may be in communication with network 310. A receiving
device may be
in communication with one or more additional devices, such as additional
servers. For example,
web server 340 in Figure 3 may be in communication with one or more other
servers that store
information and/or are in communication with one or more data stores. In
various embodiments,
one or more data stores comprise information related to consumer accounts, web
pages, scripts,
products for purchase, purchased products, customizable products, customized
products,
customization parameters (e.g., paint colors or color formulas), purchase
history, one or more
objects, and/or other information. In an embodiment, a web server may
communicate with one
or more additional devices to process a request received from an electronic
device. For example,
web server 340 in Figure 3 may be in communication with a plurality of
additional servers, at
least one of which may be used to process at least a portion of a request
received from any of the
electronic client devices 370-390 and/or other devices.
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[0033] The embodiment shown in Figure 3 comprises a product customization
station 320.
In one embodiment, the product customization station 320 is a device or
collection of devices
that enables a customized product to be ordered and/or a unique product
identifier associated
with a customized product to be created, and/or enables customization of the
product. In one
embodiment, the product customization station 320 is a standalone device. For
example, the
product customization station 320 may be a customized paint ordering and/or
color mixing
device. In other embodiments, the product customization station 320 is
incorporated into or
otherwise performed by one or more other devices, such as a desktop computer
and/or a point-of-
sale system. For example, the point-of-sale system 330 may perform one or more
of the
functions of the product customization station 320 as disclosed herein.
[0034] A product customization station 320 may comprise one or more devices
configured to
enable a customized product to be ordered and/or a unique product identifier
associated with a
customized product to be created and/or maintained. In some embodiments, the
product
customization station 320 is an electronic device, such as electronic device
200 shown in Figure
2. The product customization station 320 may receive information corresponding
to a base
product and/or customization parameters from one or more input devices within
the product
customization station 320 and/or otherwise in communication with the product
customization
station 320. For example, in one embodiment, the customized product is a
customized paint
color (i.e., a paint that has been customized to exhibit a particular color)
and the product
customization station 320 receives a base paint color and customization
parameters ¨ such as a
desired paint color, information usable to identify a desired paint color, a
tint, and/or other
customization parameters ¨ that are usable to identify and/or create the
customized paint color.
In other embodiments, base products can include any number of products
including but not
limited to blinds, windows, doors, flooring, fabrics, moldings, chains,
lumber, wire, and/or other
base products. In various embodiments, customization parameters can include,
but are not
limited to, information such as sizes, lengths, widths, depths, heights, other
dimensions,
materials, patterns, colors, shades, shapes, and/or other customization
parameters.
[0035] Product customization station 320 may be in communication with one
or more
networks, one or more data stores, and/or other devices. For example, in the
embodiment shown
in Figure 3, product customization station 320 is in communication with
customized products
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data store 350. In other embodiments, product customization station 320 is in
communication
with other data stores, such as account information data store 360 shown in
Figure 3, other
electronic devices, such as point-of-sale system 330, and/or one or more
networks, such as
network 310. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and others are
within the scope
of this disclosure.
[0036] The embodiment shown in Figure 3 comprises a point-of-sale system
330. In one
embodiment, the point-of-sale system 330 is a device or collection of devices
that enables
products to be purchased. In an embodiment, the point-of-sale system 330 is a
standalone
device. In other embodiments, the point-of-sale system 330 is incorporated
into or otherwise
performed by one or more other devices, such as a desktop computer and/or the
product
customization station 320. For example, the product customization station 320
may perform one
or more of the functions of the point-of-sale system 330 as disclosed herein.
[0037] Point-of-sale system 330 may comprise one or more devices configured
to enable
products to be purchased by a consumer. For example, point-of-sale system 330
may be a cash
register used to scan products that a consumer wants to purchase and enables
the consumer to
pay for the products. In other embodiments, point-of-sale system 330 is a self-
checkout device,
hand-held device, one or more applications, and/or another device that enables
products to be
purchased. In one embodiment, the point-of-sale system 330 is an electronic
device, such as
electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2. In some embodiments, the point-of-
sale system 330
comprises or is otherwise in communication with one or more output devices,
such as a monitor
or a printer, and one or more input devices ¨ such as a keyboard, mouse, track
pad, and/or
touchscreen display. The point-of-sale system 330 may comprise or otherwise be
in
communication with a scanner. For example, the scanner may be used to read one
or more QR
codes, UPC codes, RFIDs, and/or other machine-readable codes.
[0038] Point-of-sale system 330 may be in communication with one or more
networks, one
or more data stores, and/or other devices. For example, in the embodiment
shown in Figure 3,
point-of-sale system 330 is in communication with customized products data
store 350 and
account information data store 360. In other embodiments, point-of-sale system
330 is in
communication with fewer or additional data stores. The point-of-sale system
330 may be in
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communication with one or more networks, such as network 310. Numerous other
embodiments
are disclosed herein and others are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0039]
One or more devices may be in communication with a data store. For example, in
Figure 3, web server 340 is in communication with data store 350 and data
store 360. In some
embodiments, data store 350 and/or data store 360 is operable to receive
instructions from web
server 340 and/or other devices in communication with data store 350 and/or
data store 360 and
obtain, update, or otherwise process data in response to receiving the
instructions. In one
embodiment, data store 350 is separate from data store 360. In other
embodiments, data store
350 and data store 360 is the same data store. In some embodiments, fewer or
additional data
stores may be used.
[0040]
In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, customized products data store 350 may
contain information related to customizable products and/or customized
products. For example,
data store 350 may contain information representing base products and/or
customization
information. In one embodiment, data store 350 contains information
corresponding to
customizable paints and/or customized paints. For example, data store 350 may
contain unique
product identifiers, base paint colors, paint color formulas, tints,
additional color(s) and/or
amounts of color(s) to add to a base paint color, and/or other information. In
some
embodiments, data store 350 contains information corresponding to other
customizable products
and/or customized products.
For example, data store 350 may contain information
corresponding to doors, windows, moldings, blinds, chains, lumber, wire,
and/or other
customizable products and/or customized products. Data store 350 may contain
information that
can be used to customize a product. For example, in one embodiment, data store
350 contains
information such as customizable dimensions, previously customized dimensions,
colors,
amounts, quantities, lengths, widths, heights, depths, other sizes, designs,
patterns, and/or other
customization information. In some embodiments, customized products data store
350 contains
product descriptions, product sales price, product cost, discount information,
and/or other
information associated with one or more products. Numerous other embodiments
are disclosed
herein and others are within the scope of this disclosure.
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[0041] The embodiment shown in Figure 3 comprises an account information
data store 360.
Data store 360 may contain information associated with online accounts,
objects, purchase
history, and/or other information. For example, data store 360 may comprise
consumer
information, names, addresses, billing information, payment methods, phone
numbers,
information about previous online purchases (with or without customization
information about
some or all of the previously purchased items), information about previous in-
store purchases
(with or without customization information about some or all of the previously
purchased items),
transaction information, pricing information, product descriptions, and/or
other information
associated with an online account, products, and/or purchases. In one
embodiment, data store
360 comprises information for one or more objects. For example, data store 360
may comprise
objects associated with a building, floor plan, materials, items within a
building, and/or other
objects. Such objects can include, but are not limited to, walls, windows,
doors, door opening,
wall openings, the land on which a building is constructed, and/or other
objects. Numerous other
embodiments are disclosed herein and others are within the scope of this
disclosure.
[0042] Data store 350 and/or data store 360 shown in Figure 3 may receive
requests from
web server 340 and send responses to web server 340. For example, in one
embodiment, web
server 340 requests information related to a specific online account. For
example, the web server
340 may request a list of objects associated with an online account. As
another example, the
web server 340 may request previous purchase information associated with a
particular online
account. In this embodiment, previous purchase history information for the
particular online
account can include only online purchases, only in-store purchases, or a
combination of online
and in-store purchases. In response to receiving a request, data store 350
and/or data store 360
may send the requested information about the customized product and/or account
information to
the requesting electronic device. For example, if web server 340 sends a
request to data store
350, then data store 350 may send a response to the web server 340 where the
response includes
the requested information.
100431 In some embodiments, data store 350 and/or data store 360 can send,
receive, add,
update, delete, and/or otherwise manipulate information based at least in part
on one or more
requests received from an electronic device. For example, in one embodiment,
web server 340
may receive a request to associate an item purchased in a retail-location
associated with an
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online account with an object that is associated with the online account. In
this embodiment,
data store 350 and/or data store 360 may receive the request and, in response,
update the
information in one or more data stores to specify that the object is
associated with the purchased
item. As another example, in various embodiments, web server 340 may query
data store 350
and/or data store 360 to determine one or more objects corresponding to a
particular online
account and one or more products that is associated with the object(s)
associated with the online
account. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and others are within
the scope of
this disclosure.
[0044] The embodiment shown in Figure 3 is an illustrative system according
to one
embodiment of the present invention. In other embodiments, fewer or additional
electronic
devices, networks, and/or data stores may be used according to various
systems. For example,
the point-of-sale system 330 and/or product customization station 320 may
access data store 350
and/or data store 360 through the network 310 and/or one or more other
networks. In other
embodiments, electronic devices 370-390 may interact with product
customization station 320
through network 310. For example, product customization station 320 may allow
users to create
customized products through mobile devices. Numerous other embodiments are
disclosed herein
and others are within the scope of this disclosure.
Illustrative Method for Associating Customized Product with a Unique
Identifier
[0045] Referring now to Figure 4, Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating one
exemplary method
400 of associating a unique product identifier with a customized product. The
description of
method 400 of Figure 4 will be made with respect to Figure 3 according to an
embodiment. The
description of method 400 will also be made with respect to electronic device
200 in Figure 2
according to an embodiment.
[0046] The method 400 shown in Figure 4 begins when base product
information is received
410. For example, referring to Figure 3, product customization station 320 may
receive base
product information through an input device within the product customization
station 320 or
otherwise in communication with the product customization station 320. In
other embodiments,
base product information is received by any number of devices such as point-of-
sale system 330,
web server 340, and/or another electronic device. In some embodiments, base
product
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information is received through one or more networks such as network 310 in
Figure 3. In an
embodiment, base product information is received by one or more electronic
devices, such as
electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2.
[0047] Base product information may be received through one or more input
devices. For
example, referring to Figure 3, product customization station 320 may receive
a base product
identifier through an input device associated with the product customization
station 320. In this
embodiment, the product customization station 320 may send a request to
customized products
data store 350 requesting information for a base product associated with the
base product
identifier. In response to the request, customized products data store 350 may
send and the
product customization station 320 may receive information corresponding to the
base product
associated with the base product identifier. In another embodiment, the
product customization
station may send a request to customized products data store 350 requesting a
base product
identifier associated with information, such as a product name and/or a
product description, sent
in the request. In this embodiment, customized products data store 350 can
send and the product
customization station 320 can receive the base product identifier.
[0048] In various embodiments, the product customization station 320
includes a scanning
input device that enables a QR code, UPC code, FOB, RFID, and/or other base
product
information to be received by the product customization station 320. In other
embodiments,
information usable to identify a base product, such as a unique product
identifier, may be
received by the product customization station 320 from another input device,
such as a keyboard
or mouse. Base product information can include information usable to identify
one or more base
products and/or information about one or more base products. For example, base
product
information can include a base product identifier such as a QR code, UPC code,
RFID, and/or
other base product information usable to identify a base product identifier.
In an embodiment
where a base product identifier is received by the product customization
station 320, the base
product identifier can be used to obtain additional information regarding a
base product
corresponding to the base product identifier. For example, product
customization station 320
may query a data store with a base product identifier and receive a response
from the data store
with information regarding the base product corresponding to the base product
identifier. In
embodiments, such information can include a name, description, retail price,
discounted price,
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cost, margin, location, tax, quantity, associated products, customization
options, and/or other
information associated with a base product.
[0049]
In one embodiment, base product information includes information to a
particular
non-customized product. For example, a base product may be determined and/or
otherwise
selected from preexisting products. Exemplary examples of base products
include, but are not
limited to, paints, doors, moldings, windows, blinds, curtains, chains,
lumber, wire, and/or other
products capable of being customized. In another embodiment, base product
information
includes a previously-customized product. In this embodiment, the previously-
customized
product may be further customized. For example, a previously customized paint
color may be
selected as a base paint color that can be further customized by adding
additional colors and
quantities of paint. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and
variations are within
the scope of this disclosure.
[0050]
Referring back to Figure 4, after receiving base product information 410, the
method
400 proceeds to block 420. In block 420, customization information is
received. For example,
referring to Figure 3, product customization station 320 may receive
customization information
through an input device within the product customization station 320 or
otherwise in
communication with the product customization station 320.
In other embodiments,
customization information is received by any number of devices such as point-
of-sale system
330, web server 340, and/or another electronic device. In some embodiments,
customization
information is received through one or more networks such as network 310 in
Figure 3. In an
embodiment, customization information is received by one or more electronic
devices, such as
electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2.
[0051]
Customization information may be received through one or more input devices.
For
example, customization information may be received by the product
customization station 320
through an input device associated with the product customization station 320.
In an
embodiment, the received customization information includes a customization
identifier. In this
embodiment, the product customization station 320 may send a request to the
customized
products data store 350 requesting customization information corresponding to
the customization
identifier. In response to the request, the customized products data store 350
may send and the
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product customization station 320 may receive customization information
corresponding to the
customization identifier. In various embodiments, the product customization
station 320
includes a scanning input device that enables a QR code, UPC code, FOB, RFID,
and/or other
customization information to be received by the product customization station
320. In other
embodiments, information usable to identify one or more customization options,
such as a
unique customization identifier, may be received by the product customization
station 320 from
another input device, such as a keyboard or mouse.
[0052] Customization information can include information usable to identify
one or more
additions, deletions, and/or alterations to one or more base products. For
example, if the base
product is a particular paint, then the customization information can include
one or more colors
and quantities that should be added to the particular base paint to create a
customized paint color.
As another example, in one embodiment, the customization information includes
a particular
color of paint that is wanted and the product customization station 320 can
determine which
paint color(s) and quantities should be added to a base paint to achieve the
particular color of
paint. In various embodiments, customization information can include
information such as sizes,
lengths, widths, depths, heights, other dimensions, materials, patterns,
shades, shapes, and/or
other customization parameters. In other embodiments, customization
information can include
any information usable to remove one or more features of a base product, add
one or more
features to a base product, and/or otherwise alter a base product.
[0053] One or more data stores may contain base product information and/or
customization
information. For example, customized products data store 350 may contain
available
customization options for a particular base product. In one embodiment, the
customized
products data store 350 includes potential sizes, lengths, widths, depths,
heights, other
dimensions, materials, patterns, shades, shapes, and/or other customization
parameters for one or
more base products. In some embodiments, the customized products data store
350 includes
designs, fabrics, colors, and/or other features that can be applied to one or
more base products.
In one embodiment, the customized products data store 350 includes information
for one or more
base products that have previously been customized. For example, the
customized products data
store 350 may include a unique customized product identifier that is
associated with a particular
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base product and one or more customization parameters. Numerous other
embodiments are
disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
100541 Referring back to Figure 4, once the customization information is
received 420, the
method 400 proceeds to block 430. In block 430, a unique product identifier is
generated. For
example, referring to Figure 3, a unique product identifier may be generated
by the product
customization station 320. In other embodiments, the unique product identifier
is generated by
any number of devices such as point-of-sale system 330, web server 340,
customized products
data store 350, and/or another device or data store. In an embodiment, a
unique product
identifier is generated by one or more electronic devices, such as electronic
device 200 shown in
Figure 2.
100551 A unique product identifier can include any information usable to
identify a
customized product. For example, the unique product identifier may be an
incremental counter
such that each customized product corresponds to a unique number, letter, or
combination
thereof. In other embodiments, the unique product identifier may be a unique
identifier
generated from a timestamp, date, time, order number, transaction number, base
product
information, customization information, consumer information, sales location,
retail location
identifier, store identifier, employee identifier, other information, or a
combination thereof. In
one embodiment, the unique product identifier is associated with a base
product, customization
information, and/or other information for a customized product. For example, a
unique product
identifier may be associated with a particular customized paint color. In this
embodiment, the
unique product identifier may be associated with a particular base paint color
as well as
customization information such as colors and quantities of other paint colors
to be added to the
particular base paint color to create a customized paint color. In some
embodiments, the unique
product identifier may include two or more separate parts. One part, for
example, may be
indicative of the base product and another part may be indicative of the
customization(s). In
such embodiments, the first part (e.g., a QR code and/or a UPC code) can be
affixed to all base
products that have the same characteristics, and the second part can be
affixed separately (or
otherwise added) to the base product after customization of the base product.
The unique
product identifier can be associated with other information including, but not
limited to, retail
prices, costs, discounts, product descriptions, product titles, and/or other
information. Numerous
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additional embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the
scope of this
disclosure.
[0056] In some embodiments, one or more devices generates a human and/or
machine
readable code associated with the unique product identifier. For example, the
product
customization station 320 may create a QR code and/or a UPC code that
comprises the unique
product identifier. In this embodiment, the QR code and/or UPC code may be
printed and
physically affixed to a customized product. For example, if the customized
product is a
customized paint color, then the printed QR code and/or UPC code may be
affixed to a paint can
containing the customized paint color. In some embodiments, one or more
devices can scan the
code to determine information associated with the unique product identifier.
For example, the
code may be scanned at point-of-sale system 330 to determine a price,
description, and/or other
information for a customized product associated with the unique product
identifier. In some
embodiments that utilize a multi-part unique product identifier (for example,
as described
above), the scanning system (e.g., the point-of-sale system 330) can be
configured to scan or
otherwise receive the first part of the unique product identifier (e.g., a QR
code and/or UPC
code), and upon determining that the corresponding base product is eligible
for customization,
prompt the scan operator and/or the scanning system to scan the other part(s)
of the unique
product identifier (e.g., the part(s) indicative of the customization).
[0057] Referring back to Figure 4, after generating unique product
identifier 430, the method
400 proceeds to block 440. In block 440, the unique product identifier is
stored. For example,
referring to Figure 3, the unique product identifier and/or information
associated with the unique
product identifier may be stored in customized products data store 350.
[0058] A unique product identifier and/or information associated with a
unique product
identifier may be stored in any number of devices. For example, a unique
product identifier
and/or information associated with a unique product identifier can be stored
in a data store, such
as customized products data store 350 and/or account information data store
360. In other
embodiments, a unique product identifier and/or information associated with a
unique product
identifier is stored in product customization station 320, point-of-sale
system 330, web server
340, one or more client devices 370-390, one or more data stores, and/or other
devices. In an
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embodiment, a unique product identifier and/or information associated with a
unique product
identifier is stored in one or more storage mediums, such as memory 230, of
the electronic
device 200 shown in Figure 2.
[0059]
In one embodiment, a unique product identifier includes information usabie to
identify a base product, one or more customization parameters, and/or a
customized product. For
example, a unique product identifier may be associated with a base product
identifier for a base
product. In other embodiments, a unique product identifier is associated with
a base product
name, description, retail price, discounted price, cost, margin, location,
tax, quantity, other
associated products, customization options, and/or other information
associated with a base
product and/or customization parameters. As another example, a unique product
identifier can
be associated with one or more sizes, lengths, widths, depths, heights, other
dimensions,
materials, patterns, shades, shapes, and/or other customization parameters
selected for one or
more base products and/or available for one or more base products.
Illustrative Method for Associating a Customized Product with an Online
Account
[0060]
Referring now to Figure 5, Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary
method
500 of assigning one or more customized products to an object associated with
an online
account. The description of the method 500 of Figure 5 will be made with
respect to Figure 3
according to an embodiment. The description of method 500 will also be made
with respect to
electronic device 200 in Figure 2 according to an embodiment.
[0061]
The method 500 shown in Figure 5 begins when a unique transaction identifier
is
received 510. For example, referring to Figure 3, a unique transaction
identifier may be received
by point-of-sale system 330. In one embodiment, a unique transaction
identifier is received by
point-of-sale system 330 from a data store, such as data store 350 and/or data
store 360. In
another embodiment, point-of-sale system 330 creates or otherwise generates a
unique
transaction identifier.
[0062]
A unique transaction identifier may be received, created, and/or otherwise
generated
by any number of devices. For example, referring to Figure 3, a unique
transaction identifier can
be created by account information data store 360. In other embodiments, a
unique transaction
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identifier is received, created, and/or otherwise generated by data store 350,
data store 360,
product customization station 320, point-of-sale system 330, web server 340,
and/or another
electronic device. An electronic device ¨ such as electronic device 200 ¨
receiving, creating,
and/or otherwise generating the unique transaction identifier may send the
unique transaction
identifier to one or more data stores. For example, the electronic device may
send the unique
transaction identifier to account information data store 360 and/or customized
products data store
350. The unique transaction identifier and/or other information corresponding
to a transaction
(e.g., an order for one or more customized and/or non-customized products) ¨
such as products,
unique product identifiers, prices, locations, quantities, account
information, and/or other
information associated with a transaction ¨ may be stored in one or more data
stores. For
example, if account information data store 360 receives the unique transaction
identifier, then
data store 360 may store the unique transaction identifier and/or other
information associated
with a transaction.
[0063] In one embodiment, point-of-sale system 330 is in communication with
customized
products data store 350 and/or account information data store 360. In this
embodiment, the
point-of-sale system 330 can send a request to data store 350 and/or data
store 360 for a unique
transaction identifier. In response to receiving the request, data store 350
and/or data store 360
may generate the unique transaction identifier. The generated unique
transaction identifier may
be sent from data store 350 and/or data store 360 to the point-of-sale system
330. In another
embodiment, web server 340 receives a unique transaction identifier. For
example, web server
340 may receive a unique transaction identifier from point-of-sale system 330.
As another
example, web server 340 can receive a unique transaction identifier from an
electronic client
device, such as electronic client devices 370-390. Numerous other embodiments
are disclosed
herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0064] A unique transaction identifier can be created or otherwise
generated based at least in
part on one or more sources of information. In one embodiment, a unique
transaction identifier
is based at least in part on an incremental counter. For example, data store
360 may comprise an
incremental counter such that a unique transaction identifier is created for
each order. In this
embodiment, no two transaction identifiers in the data store are the same. In
various
embodiments, a unique transaction identifier may be created or otherwise
generated based at
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least in part on a timestamp, date, time, order number, retail location,
register identifier,
employee identifier, online identifier, account information, one or more
products purchased,
payment type, payment method, total purchase price, product quantities,
product cost, product
price, other information, or a combination thereof. Numerous additional
embodiments are
disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0065] In some embodiments, a unique transaction identifier corresponds to
a purchase of at
least one product. For example, a unique transaction identifier may correspond
to one or more
customized products purchased by a consumer at an in-store retail location. In
one embodiment,
a unique transaction identifier corresponds to only customized products. In
another embodiment,
a unique transaction identifier corresponds to only non-customized products.
In other
embodiments, a unique transaction identifier corresponds to both customized
and non-
customized products. A unique transaction identifier can correspond to one or
more products
purchased at an in-store location of a retailer. In other embodiments, a
unique transaction
identifier corresponds to one or more products purchased from a website
associated with a
retailer. In some embodiments, a unique transaction identifier corresponds to
an online account
of a consumer purchasing one or more customized and/or non-customized
products. Numerous
other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of
this disclosure.
[0066] Referring back to Figure 5, after receiving a unique transaction
identifier 510, the
method 500 proceeds to block 515. In block 515, a unique product
identification is received.
For example, referring to Figure 3, a unique product identification may be
received by product
customization station 320. In one embodiment, a unique product identification
is received by
product customization station 320 from a data store, such as data store 350
and/or data store 360.
In another embodiment, a unique product identifier is received by product
customization station
320 from one or more input devices, such as a barcode scanner and/or a
keyboard, associated
with the product customization station 320.
[0067] A unique product identifier can be received by any number of
devices. For example,
a unique product identifier may be received by point-of-sale system 330. In
one embodiment,
point-of-sale system 330 receives a unique product identifier from an input
device in
communication with the point-of-sale system 330. For example, in one
embodiment, the point-
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of-sale system 330 includes a scanning input device such as a barcode scanner.
In this
embodiment, the scanning input device enables QR codes, UPC codes, FOBs,
RFIDs, and/or
other information usable to identify a unique product identifier to be
received by the point-of-
sale system 330 and/or another electronic device. In other embodiments,
information usable to
identify a unique product identifier is received by point-of-sale system 330
from another input
device, such as a keyboard and/or mouse. In one embodiment, a unique product
identifier is
received by web server 340. For example, web server 340 may receive a unique
product
identifier from an electronic client device such as electronic client device
370-390.
[0068] A unique product identifier may be received in response to a request
sent by an
electronic device to a data store. For example, point-of sale system 330 may
receive information
¨ such as a product name and/or a product description ¨ usable to identify a
unique product
identifier. In this embodiment, the point-of-sale system 330 queries data
store 350 and/or data
store 360 with a request for a unique product identifier that corresponds with
the product name,
product description, and/or other product information. In response to sending
the request to data
store 350 and/or data store 360, point-of-sale system 330 can receive a
response from data store
350 and/or data store 360 with the unique product identifier. Numerous other
embodiments are
disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0069] A unique product identifier may be created, and/or otherwise
generated by any
number of devices. For example, referring to Figure 3, a unique product
identifier can be created
by account information data store 360. In other embodiments, a unique product
identifier is
created and/or otherwise generated by data store 350, data store 360, product
customization
station 320, point-of-sale system 330, web server 340, and/or another
electronic device. An
electronic device ¨ such as electronic device 200 ¨ creating, and/or otherwise
generating the
unique product identifier may send the unique product identifier to one or
more data stores. For
example, the electronic device may send the unique product identifier to
account information
data store 360 and/or customized products data store 350. The unique product
identifier and/or
other information corresponding to a product ¨ such as names, descriptions,
prices, costs,
margins, locations, quantities, customization information, and/or other
information associated
with a product ¨ may be stored in one or more data stores. For example, if
account information
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data store 360 receives the unique product identifier, then data store 360 may
store the unique
product identifier and/or other information associated with a product.
[0070] In one embodiment, point-of-sale system 330 is in communication with
customized
products data store 350 and/or account information data store 360. In this
embodiment, the
point-of-sale system 330 can send a request to data store 350 and/or data
store 360 for a unique
product identifier. In response to receiving the request, data store 350
and/or data store 360 may
generate the unique product identifier. The generated unique product
identifier may be sent from
data store 350 and/or data store 360 to the point-of-sale system 330. In
another embodiment,
web server 340 receives a unique product identifier. For example, web server
340 may receive a
unique product identifier from point-of-sale system 330. As another example,
web server 340
can receive a unique product identifier from an electronic client device, such
as electronic client
device 370-390. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations
are within the
scope of this disclosure.
[0071] A unique product identifier can be created or otherwise generated
based at least in
part on one or more sources of information. In one embodiment, a unique
product identifier is
based at least in part on an incremental counter. For example, data store 360
may comprise an
incremental counter such that a unique product identifier is created for each
different product. In
this embodiment, no two product identifiers in the data store are the same. In
various
embodiments, a unique product identifier may be created or otherwise generated
based at least in
part on a timestamp, date, time, order number, retail location, register
identifier, employee
identifier, online identifier, account information, one or more products
purchased, product title,
product description, product cost, payment type, payment method, total
purchase price, product
quantities, product cost, product price, other information, or a combination
thereof. In
embodiments, such other information can include, but is not limited to, a
name, description,
retail price, discounted price, cost, margin, location, tax, quantity,
associated products,
customization options, and/or other information associated with a base
product. Numerous
additional embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the
scope of this
disclosure.
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100721 In embodiments, a unique product identifier corresponds to at least
one product. In
one embodiment, the product is a customized product and the unique product
identifier
corresponds to the customized product. For example, a unique product
identifier may
correspond to one or more customized products ordered by a consumer at an in-
store retail
location. In one embodiment, a unique product identifier corresponds to a base
product and
customization information for the base product. In this embodiment, the base
product and the
customization information may be usable to create a customized product. In
some embodiments,
a unique product identifier corresponds to a single product. In other
embodiments, a unique
product identifier corresponds with two or more products. A unique product
identifier may
correspond with one or more customized products, one or more non-customized
products, or a
combination thereof. A unique product identifier can correspond to one or more
products
purchased at an in-store location of a retailer. In other embodiments, a
unique product identifier
corresponds to one or more products purchased from a website associated with a
retailer. In
some embodiments, a unique product identifier corresponds to an online account
of a consumer
purchasing one or more customized and/or non-customized products. In some
embodiments,
multiple unique product identifiers are received. For example, a unique
product identifier may
be received for each product ordered and/or being purchased at a point-of-sale
system 330.
Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the
scope of this
disclosure.
[0073] Referring back to Figure 5, after receiving the unique product
identifier 515, the
method 500 proceeds to block 520. In block 520, the unique product identifier
is associated with
the unique transaction identifier. For example, referring to Figure 3, data
store 360 may
associate one or more unique product identifiers with a unique transaction
identifier. In one
embodiment, data store 360 associates one or more unique product identifiers
with one or more
unique transaction identifiers in response to receiving a request from point-
of-sale system 330.
For example, an order may comprise three products, each having a unique
product identifier. In
this embodiment, each of the three unique product identifiers may be
associated with a unique
transaction identifier. In this way, the unique transaction identifier may
represent an order for
one or more products. In another embodiment, data store 360 associates one or
more unique
product identifiers with one or more unique transaction identifiers in
response to receiving a
request from web server 340.
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[0074] A request to associate one or more products with one or more
transactions may be
made and/or received by any number of devices. In one embodiment, a request to
associate one
or more products with one or more transactions is made and/or received by
point-of-sale system
330. For example, point-of-sale system 330 may send a request to one or more
data stores, such
as data store 350 and/or data store 360. The request may include one or more
transactions and
one or more products that should be associated with the one or more
transactions. In another
embodiment, a request to associate one or more products with one or more
transactions is made
and/or received by web server 340 and/or one or more electronic client devices
370-390. For
example, web server 340 may receive a request to associate one or more
products with one or
more transactions from tablet computer 390. In this embodiment, web server 340
may receive
the request and send a request to a data store, such as data store 360, to
associate the one or more
products with the one or more transactions. In one embodiment, one or more
products are
associated with one or more transactions based at least in part on unique
product identifiers for
the one or more products and unique transaction identifiers for the one or
more transactions. For
example, data store 360 may store associations between unique transaction
identifiers and unique
product identifiers associated with the unique transaction identifiers.
Numerous other
embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this
disclosure.
[0075] Referring back to Figure 5, after associating the unique product
identifier with the
unique transaction identifier 520, the method 500 proceeds to block 525. In
block 525, an
account identifier is received. For example, referring to Figure 3, point-of-
sale system 330 may
receive an account identifier from a key FOB through an input device, such as
a scanner,
associated with the point-of-sale system 330.
[0076] An account identifier can be sent by and/or received by any number
of devices. In
one embodiment, an account identifier is sent from a key FOB and/or a RFID and
received by
point-of-sale system 330. For example, point-of-sale system 330 may comprise
or otherwise be
in communication with a scanner that can receive information, such as an
account identifier,
from a QR code, UPC code, FOB, RFID and/or another device. In another
embodiment, an
account identifier is sent from an electronic client device, such as tablet
computer 390, and
received by web server 340 through network 310. In other embodiments, an
account identifier
can be sent by and/or received by product customization station 320, point-of-
sale system 330,
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and/or one or more electronic client devices 370-390. In other embodiments, an
account
identifier can be sent by and/or received by one or more electronic devices,
such as electronic
device 200 shown in Figure 2.
[0077] An account identifier can include information usable to identify a
particular account.
For example, an account identifier may include information usable to identify
a particular online
account associated with a consumer. In one embodiment, an account identifier
includes a unique
username and password combination that is usable to identify a particular
account. In other
embodiments, an account identifier comprises a username, a passphrase, a
unique account
identifier, answers for one or more security questions, a credit card number,
other information
usable to identify a particular account, or a combination thereof. Numerous
other embodiments
are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0078] Referring back to Figure 5, after receiving an account identifier
525, the method 500
proceeds to block 530. In block 530, an account is determined based at least
in part on the
account identifier 530. For example, referring to Figure 3, point-of-sale
system 330 may
determine an account by querying data store 360 with at least the account
identifier. In one
embodiment, the account corresponds with an online account of a consumer. As
another
example, web server 340 may determine an account by querying a data store,
such as data store
350 and/or data store 360, with at least the account identifier. In this
embodiment, web server
340 can receive a request from an electronic client device, such as electronic
client device 370-
390, through network 310. The request may include the account identifier and
the web server
340 may determine an account associated with the first account identifier by
querying data store
360 with the account identifier. For example, if the account identifier
comprises a username and
a password, then the web server 340 may query data store 360 to determine if
an account
associated with the username and password exists. In other embodiments, an
account
corresponding to an account identifier may be requested by, received by,
and/or determined by
any number of devices such as electronic client devices 370-390, web server
340, point-of-sale
system 330, and/or product customization station 320. In some embodiments, an
account
corresponding to an account identifier may be requested by, received by,
and/or determined by a
data store, such as data store 350 and/or data store 360. In other
embodiments, an account
corresponding to an account identifier may be requested by, received by and/or
determined by
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one or more electronic devices, such as electronic device 200 shown in Figure
2. Numerous
other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of
this disclosure.
[0079] Referring back to Figure 5, after determining an account based at
least in part on the
account identifier 530, the method 500 proceeds to block 535. In block 535,
the account is
associated with the unique transaction identifier and/or one or more unique
product identifiers.
For example, referring to Figure 3, data store 360 may associate one or more
unique transaction
identifiers and/or one or more unique product identifiers with the account. In
one embodiment,
data store 360 associates one or more unique transaction identifiers and/or
one or more unique
product identifiers with an account in response to receiving a request from
another device, such
as web server 340, point-of-sale system 330, product customization station
320, and/or an
electronic client device 370-390. For example, an order may comprise a first
product
corresponding to a first unique product identifier and a second product
corresponding to a second
unique product identifier. In this embodiment, both the first product and the
second product can
be associated with a unique transaction identifier corresponding to the order.
For example, the
first unique product identifier and the second unique product identifier may
be associated with
the unique transaction identifier. In this embodiment, the first unique
product identifier, the
second unique product identifier, and/or the unique transaction identifier can
be associated with
the account. For example, the first unique product identifier, the second
unique product
identifier, and/or the unique transaction identifier may be associated with a
unique account
identifier corresponding to the account. In this way, consumer purchases may
be viewed in an
online account based at least in part on the unique transaction identifiers
for various orders
and/or unique product identifiers for various products. The unique product
identifiers may
correspond to customized products, non-customized products, or a combination
thereof.
[0080] A request to associate one or more products and/or one or more
transactions with an
account may be made and/or received by any number of devices. In one
embodiment, a request
to associate one or more products and/or one or more transactions with an
account is made
and/or received by point-of-sale system 330. For example, point-of-sale system
330 may send a
request to one or more data stores, such as data store 350 and/or data store
360. The request may
include one or more transactions and/or one or more products that should be
associated with the
account. In another embodiment, a request to associate one or more products
and/or one or more
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transactions with an account is made and/or received by web server 340 and/or
one or more
electronic client devices 370-390. For example, web server 340 may receive a
request to
associate one or more products and/or one or more transactions with an account
from tablet
computer 390. In this embodiment, web server 340 may receive the request and
send another
request to a data store, such as data store 360, to associate the one or more
products and/or the
one or more transactions with the account. In one embodiment, one or more
products and/or one
or more transactions are associated with an account based at least in part on
unique product
identifiers for the one or more products and/or unique transaction identifiers
for the one or more
transactions. For example, data store 360 may store associations between
unique transaction
identifiers and/or unique product identifiers with the account. Numerous other
embodiments are
disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
100811
Referring back to Figure 5, after associating the account with a transaction
identifier
and/or one or more unique product identifiers 535, the method 500 proceeds to
block 540. In
block 540, an object associated with the account is determined. For example,
referring to Figure
3, web server 340 may determine an object associated with the account by
querying a data store,
such as data store 360, for one or more objects associated with the account.
In one embodiment,
web server 340 receives a request from an electronic client device, such as
electronic client
device 370-390. In this embodiment, the request includes a selection of one or
more objects
associated with the account that should be associated with one or more
transaction identifiers
and/or one or more unique product identifiers. In this embodiment, one or more
objects
associated with the account that should be associated with one or more
transactions and/or one or
more products is based at least in part on the selection of the one or more
objects received in the
request. In other embodiments, one or more objects may be determined by any
number of
devices such as electronic client devices 370-390, web server 340, point-of-
sale system 330,
and/or product customization station 320. In some embodiments, one or more
objects can be
determined by a data store, such as data store 350 and/or data store 360. In
other embodiments,
one or more objects may be determined by one or more electronic devices, such
as electronic
device 200 shown in Figure 2. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein
and variations
are within the scope of this disclosure.
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[0082] An object may include a representation of an item associated with a
building. For
example, objects can include, but are not limited to: walls, portions of
walls, railings, moldings,
doorways, floor plans, the land on which the building sits, windows, openings,
and/or rooms. In
some embodiments, an object may be associated with one or more dimensions. For
example, if
an object is a wall, then the wall may be associated with a length, width,
height, and/or thickness.
An object may comprise or otherwise be associated with one or more other
objects. For
example, if an object is a room, then the room may be associated with four
wall objects that form
the room. In some embodiments, an object corresponds to a unique object
identifier. For
example, data store 360 may store a unique object identifier that corresponds
to a particular wall
having a particular length, width, height, and/or thickness. As another
example, data store 360
may contain a unique object identifier corresponding to a particular room. In
this embodiment,
the unique object identifier for the particular room may be associated with
unique object
identifiers for walls that form the room. Numerous other embodiments are
disclosed herein and
variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
100831 Referring back to Figure 5, after determining an object associated
with the account
540, the method 500 proceeds to block 545. In block 545, one or more unique
transaction
identifiers and/or one or more unique product identifiers are associated with
one or more objects.
100841 For example, referring to Figure 3, data store 360 may associate one
or more unique
transaction identifiers and/or one or more unique product identifiers with one
or more objects
associated with the account. In one embodiment, data store 360 associates one
or more unique
transaction identifiers and/or one or more unique product identifiers with one
or more object in
response to receiving a request from another device, such as web server 340,
point-of-sale
system 330, product customization station 320, and/or an electronic client
device 370-390. For
example, data store 360 may associate a unique transaction identifier with an
object associated
with an account. In this embodiment, one or more products having unique
product identifiers
that are associated with the unique transaction identifier can be associated
with the object. Thus,
in one embodiment, if the unique transaction identifier corresponds to an
order for a customized
paint having a unique product identifier and the object associated with the
account is a wall of a
room, then the unique transaction identifier corresponding to the order can be
associated with the
wall such that the customized paint corresponds to the wall.
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[0085] As another example, data store 360 may associate a unique product
identifier with an
object associated with an account. In this embodiment, one or more products
having unique
product identifiers are associated with the object. For example, if an order
associated with the
account contains six products, then one or more of the six products may be
associated with an
object associated with the account. Thus, in one embodiment, if a request is
received by data
store 360 from an electronic client device 370-390 to associate one of the
products from the
order with an object associated with the account, then the data store 360 may
associate the
product with the object. In an embodiment, a unique product identifier
corresponding to the
product is associated with a unique object identifier corresponding to the
object. For example, if
the object is a chair railing within a room and the product is a customized
paint color, then a
unique object identifier corresponding to the chair railing may be associated
with a unique
product identifier corresponding to the customized paint color. Numerous other
embodiments
are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
100861 A request to associate one or more products and/or one or more
transactions with an
object may be made and/or received by any number of devices. In one
embodiment, a request to
associate one or more products and/or one or more transactions with an object
is made and/or
received by point-of-sale system 330. For example, point-of-sale system 330
may send a request
to one or more data stores, such as data store 350 and/or data store 360. The
request may include
one or more transactions and/or one or more products that should be associated
with the object.
In another embodiment, a request to associate one or more products and/or one
or more
transactions with an object is made and/or received by web server 340 and/or
one or more
electronic client devices 370-390. For example, web server 340 may receive a
request to
associate one or more products and/or one or more transactions with an object
from tablet
computer 390. In this embodiment, web server 340 may receive the request and
send another
request to a data store, such as data store 360, to associate the one or more
products and/or the
one or more transactions with the object. In one embodiment, one or more
products and/or one
or more transactions are associated with an object based at least in part on
unique product
identifiers for the one or more products and/or unique transaction identifiers
for the one or more
transactions. For example, data store 360 may store associations between
unique transaction
identifiers and/or unique product identifiers with the object. Numerous other
embodiments are
disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
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[0087] Referring back to Figure 5, after one or more unique transaction
identifier and/or one
or more unique product identifiers are associated with one or more objects,
the method 500
proceeds to block 550. In block 550, a reorder request is received for at
least one customized
product. For example, in one embodiment, a reorder request is received by web
server 340 from
tablet computer 390 through network 310. In this embodiment, the reorder
request includes a
unique product identifier corresponding to the product that should be ordered.
In another
embodiment, the reorder request includes a unique transaction identifier
corresponding to a
previous order. In this embodiment, one or more products associated with the
unique transaction
identifier can be reordered in response to receiving the request. In another
embodiment, a
reorder request includes an object identifier of an object associated with an
account. In this
embodiment, the reorder request can correspond to one or more products
associated with the
object. Thus, if the object corresponds with two products, then both products
may be reordered.
[0088] In some embodiments, a reorder request corresponds to only
customized products.
Thus, in this embodiment, if a reorder request comprises a unique transaction
identifier
corresponding to both customized and non-customized products, then only the
customized
products will be reordered. In other embodiments, a reorder request
corresponds to only non-
customized products. Thus, in this embodiment, if a reorder request comprises
a unique
transaction identifier corresponding to both customized and non-customized
products, then only
the non-customized products will be reordered. In yet other embodiments, a
reorder request
corresponds to both customized and non-customized products.
[0089] A request to reorder one or more products may be sent by and/or
received by any
number of devices. In one embodiment, a request to reorder one or more
products sent by and/or
received by point-of-sale system 330. For example, point-of-sale system 330
may send a request
to one or more data stores, such as data store 350 and/or data store 360. The
request may include
one or more products that should be reordered. In another embodiment, a
request to reorder one
or more products is sent by and/or received by web server 340 and/or one or
more electronic
client devices 370-390. For example, web server 340 may receive a request to
reorder one or
more products from tablet computer 390. In this embodiment, web server 340 may
receive the
request and send another request to a data store, such as data store 360, to
reorder the one or
more products. In one embodiment, one or more products are reordered based at
least in part on
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unique product identifiers for the one or more products and/or unique
transaction identifiers
associated with one or more products. For example, data store 360 may store
associations
between unique transaction identifiers and/or unique product identifiers such
that if a reorder
request is received and contains a unique transaction identifier, then one or
more products
associated with the unique transaction identifier can be reordered. In another
embodiment, one
or more products are reordered based at least in part on an object associated
with an account.
For example, data store 360 may store associations between objects and
transactions and/or
products such that if a reorder request is received and contains an object
identifier for an object,
then one or more products associated with the object can be reordered.
Numerous other
embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the scope of this
disclosure.
Illustrative Method of Copying or Moving Information From a First Online
Account to a
Second Online Account
[0090] Referring now to Figure 6, Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a
method 600 of
copying and/or moving information associated with a first online account to a
second online
account. The description of the method 600 of Figure 6 will be made with
respect to Figure 3
according to an embodiment. The description of method 500 will also be made
with respect to
electronic device 200 in Figure 2 according to an embodiment.
[0091] The method 600 shown in Figure 6 begins when a first account
identifier is received.
For example, referring to Figure 3, web server 340 may receive a first account
identifier from an
electronic client device, 370-390, through network 310.
[0092] A first account identifier can be sent by any number of devices. In
one embodiment,
one or more electronic client devices, 370-390, sends a first account
identifier. In other
embodiments, product customization station 320, point-of-sale system 330,
and/or web server
340 sends a first account identifier. A first account identifier can be
received by any number of
devices. In one embodiment, a first account identifier is received by web
server 340. In other
embodiments, a first account identifier is received by product customization
station 320, point-
of-sale system 330, and/or one or more electronic client devices, 370-390. In
some
embodiments, a first account identifier can be sent by and/or received by one
or more electronic
devices, such as electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2.
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[0093] A first account identifier can include information usable to
identify a particular online
account. For example, a first account identifier can include a unique username
and password
combination that is usable to identify a particular account. In other
embodiments, a first account
identifier comprises a unique username, a unique passphrase, one or more
security questions, a
credit card number, other information usable to identify a particular online
account, or a
combination thereof. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and
variations are
within the scope of this disclosure.
[0094] Referring back to Figure 6, once the first account identifier is
received 610, the
method 600 proceeds to block 620. In block 620, a first account corresponding
to the first
account identifier is determined. For example, referring to Figure 3, a first
account
corresponding to the first account identifier may be determined by querying
account information
data store 360. In this embodiment, web server 340 can receive a request from
an electronic
client device, such as electronic client devices 370-390, through network 310.
The request may
include the first account identifier and the web server 340 may determine a
first account
associated with the first account identifier by querying data store 360 with
the first account
identifier. For example, if the first account identifier comprises a username
and a password, then
the web server 340 may query data store 360 to determine if an account
associated with the
username and password exists. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein
and
variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0095] Referring back to Figure 6, once the first account is determined
620, the method 600
proceeds to block 630. In block 630, a second account identifier is received.
For example,
referring to Figure 3, web server 340 may receive a second account identifier
from an electronic
client device, 370-390, through network 310.
[0096] A second account identifier can be sent by any number of devices. In
one
embodiment, one or more electronic client devices, 370-390, sends a second
account identifier.
In other embodiments, product customization station 320, point-of-sale system
330, and/or web
server 340 sends a second account identifier. A second account identifier can
be received by any
number of devices. In one embodiment, a second account identifier is received
by web server
340. In other embodiments, a second account identifier is received by product
customization
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station 320, point-of-sale system 330, and/or one or more electronic client
devices, 370-390. In
embodiments, a second account identifier can be sent by and/or received by one
or more
electronic devices, such as electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2.
[0097] In one embodiment, the second account identifier is sent by the same
device that sent
the first account identifier. In other embodiments, the second account
identifier is sent by a
different device than the device that sent the first account identifier. In
one embodiment, the
second account identifier is received by the same device that sent the first
account identifier. In
other embodiments, the second account identifier is received by a different
device than the
device that received the first account identifier.
[0098] A second account identifier can include any information usable to
identify a particular
online account. For example, a second account identifier can include a unique
username and
password combination that is usable to identify a particular account. In other
embodiments, a
second account identifier comprises a unique username, a unique passphrase,
one or more
security questions, a credit card number, other information usable to identify
a particular online
account, or a combination thereof. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed
herein and
variations are within the scope of this disclosure.
[0099] Referring back to Figure 6, once the second account identifier is
received 630, the
method 600 proceeds to block 640. In block 640, a second account corresponding
to the second
account identifier is determined. In this embodiment, the second account is
different than the
first account. For example, referring to Figure 3, a second account
corresponding to the second
account identifier may be determined by querying account information data
store 360. In this
embodiment, web server 340 can receive a request from an electronic client
device, such as
electronic client devices 370-390, through network 310. The request may
include the second
account identifier and the web server 340 may determine a second account
associated with the
second account identifier by querying data store 360 with the second account
information. For
example, if the second account identifier comprises a username and a password,
then the web
server 340 may query data store 360 to determine if an account associated with
the username and
password exists. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and
variations are within the
scope of this disclosure.
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1001001 Referring back to Figure 6, once the second account is determined 640,
the method
600 proceeds to block 650. In block 650, one or more transactions, products,
and/or objects
associated with the first account is transferred to the second account. For
example, referring to
Figure 3, information related to one or more transactions, products, and/or
objects associated
with the first account may be updated to associate the one or more
transactions, products, and/or
objects with the second account. In one embodiment, information related to one
or more
transactions, products, and/or objects associated with the first account may
be updated by
updating information in a data store, such as data store 350 and/or data store
360 shown in Figure
3. In another embodiment, information related to one or more transactions,
products, and/or
objects associated with the first account may be copied to the second account
by adding
additional associations in a data store, such as data store 350 and/or data
store 360, to the one or
more transactions, products, and/or objects. In yet another embodiment,
information related to
one or more transactions, products, and/or objects associated with the first
account may be
moved to the second account by updating associations in a data store, such as
data store 350
and/or data store 360.
[00101] In one embodiment, the one or more transactions, products, and/or
objects associated
with the first account are transferred to the second account such that the one
or more
transactions, products, and/or objects are no longer associated with the first
account. In other
embodiments, the one or more transactions, products, and/or objects associated
with the first
account are transferred to the second account such that the one or more
transactions, products,
and/or objects are associated with both the first account and the second
account. In this
embodiment, an update made to a transaction, product, and/or object in the
first account may be
made to the transferred transaction, product, and/or object in the second
account as well.
Similarly, in an embodiment, an update made to a transferred transaction,
product, and/or object
in the second account can be automatically made in the first account. In other
embodiments, an
update made to a transferred transaction, product, and/or object in the first
account and/or the
second account only affects that transaction, product, and/or object and not
the objects in another
account. Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are
within the scope
of this disclosure.
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[00102] In an embodiment, one or more transactions, products, and/or objects
associated with
the first account are updated, moved, copied, or otherwise transferred to a
second account in
response to a request from an electronic device. For example, referring to
Figure 3, one or more
transactions, products, and/or objects associated with the first account can
be updated in data
store 350 and/or data store 360 in response to the web server 340 receiving a
request from an
electronic client device, such as electronic client devices 370-390, through
network 310. In this
embodiment, the request can include a selection of one or more transactions,
products, and/or
objects associated with the first account that should be moved to the second
account. The
request may include information regarding the first account, such as a first
account identifier,
and/or information regarding the second account, such as a second account
identifier.
[00103] In another embodiment, one or more transactions, products, and/or
objects associated
with the first account are updated, moved, copied, or otherwise transferred to
a second account
based at least in part on a predefined association between the first account
and the second
account. For example, in one embodiment, information may have previously been
stored in a
data store, such as data store 350 and/or data store 360, associating a first
account with a second
account. As another example, information may have previously been stored in a
data store, such
as data store 350 and/or data store 360, associating an object in a first
account with a second
account. For example, a room, a floor plan, and/or another object may be
associated with a first
account and a second account. In this embodiment, if a transaction, product,
and/or another
object associated with the object in the first account is added, removed, or
updated in the first
account, then the information is automatically added, removed, or updated in
the second account.
In some embodiments, if a transaction, product, and/or another object
associated with the object
in the first account is added, removed, or updated in the second account, then
the information is
automatically added, removed, or updated in the first account. The
methods/systems disclosed
herein facilitate the transfer of information from a first account to another
(or second account)
whenever it is desired to do so, for example, when a previous owner of a
property, home, or
building sells or otherwise transfers the property, home, or building to a new
owner, or
alternatively to a renter or occupant, who is associated with the other
account. The transfer,
move, or addition, can be made with respect to the entirety of the
transaction, objects, and
product, or instead with respect to a chosen subset thereof. The financial
aspects of the
transactions (price, payment method, and the like), for example, can be
omitted from the transfer
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and/or visibility in the second account, while the product and object
attributes are transferred
and/or remain accessible for viewing via the second account. In some
embodiments, the extent
of the transferred information can be selectively controlled by the transferor
account holder.
Numerous other embodiments are disclosed herein and variations are within the
scope of this
disclosure.
1001041 In some embodiments, aspects of the present invention may be
implemented within
one or more of the systems described in U.S. Patent Application No. 10/796,485
by Stone et al.,
filed March 9, 2004, now U.S. Patent No. 7,909,241, and entitled "Systems,
Methods and
Computer Program Products For Implementing Processes Relating To Retail
Sales."
In some embodiments, aspects of the present
invention may be implemented within one or more of the systems described in
U.S. Patent
Application No. 12/930,009 by Stone et al., filed December 24, 2010, and
entitled "Systems,
Methods and Computer Program Products for Implementing Processes Relating To
Retail Sales,"
General
[00105] Numerous specific details are set forth herein to provide a thorough
understanding of
the claimed subject matter. However, those skilled in the art will understand
that the claimed
subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, methods,
apparatuses or systems that would be known by one of ordinary skill have not
been described in
detail so as not to obscure claimed subject matter.
[00106] Some portions are presented in terms of algorithms or symbolic
representations of
operations on data bits or binary digital signals stored within a computing
system memory, such
as a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions or representations are
examples of
techniques used by those of ordinary skill in the data processing arts to
convey the substance of
their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is a self-consistent
sequence of operations or
similar processing leading to a desired result. In this context, operations or
processing involves
physical manipulation of physical quantities. Typically, although not
necessarily, such quantities
may take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,
transferred,
combined, compared or otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at
times, principally
41
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for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signals as bits, data, values,
elements, symbols,
characters, terms, numbers, numerals or the like. It should be understood,
however, that all of
these and similar terms are to be associated with appropriate physical
quantities and are merely
convenient labels. Unless specifically stated otherwise, it is appreciated
that throughout this
specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing,"
"calculating,"
"determining," and "identifying" or the like refer to actions or processes of
a computing device,
such as one or more computers or a similar electronic computing device or
devices, that
manipulate or transform data represented as physical electronic or magnetic
quantities within
memories, registers, or other information storage devices, transmission
devices, or display
devices of the computing platform.
[00107] The system or systems discussed herein are not limited to any
particular hardware
architecture or configuration. A computing device can include any suitable
arrangement of
components that provide a result conditioned on one or more inputs. Suitable
computing devices
include multipurpose microprocessor-based computer systems accessing stored
software that
programs or configures the computing system from a general purpose computing
apparatus to a
specialized computing apparatus implementing one or more embodiments of the
present subject
matter. Any suitable programming, scripting, or other type of language or
combinations of
languages may be used to implement the teachings contained herein in software
to be used in
programming or configuring a computing device.
[00108] Embodiments of the methods disclosed herein may be performed in the
operation of
such computing devices. The order of the blocks presented in the examples
above can be varied
¨ for example, blocks can be re-ordered, combined, and/or broken into sub-
blocks. Certain
blocks or processes can be performed in parallel.
[00109] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is meant as open and
inclusive
language that does not foreclose devices adapted to or configured to perform
additional tasks or
steps. Additionally, the use of "based on" is meant to be open and inclusive,
in that a process,
step, calculation, or other action "based on" one or more recited conditions
or values may, in
practice, be based on additional conditions or values beyond those recited.
Headings, lists, and
numbering included herein are for ease of explanation only and are not meant
to be limiting.
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[001101 While the present subject matter has been described in detail with
respect to specific
embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art,
upon attaining an
understanding of the foregoing may readily produce alterations to, variations
of, and equivalents
to such embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that the present
disclosure has been
presented for purposes of example rather than limitation, and does not
preclude inclusion of such
modifications, variations and/or additions to the present subject matter as
would be readily
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
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